Somaliland people speaking after their government failed them
Ibrahim Mead
Ottawa, Canada
April 6, 2013
When the Wrong paid and the Right got the Rap
When a government fails her people, when a government is under
suspension and when a government and her people are in distance
apart, people take the matter in their hands and speak for their
cause and case. When people don’t trust their government with their
hopes and aspirations, then the people speak.
When a government fails to speak for the revered cause of her people
in the right way, then in such situations people speak for their
cause them selves, so Somaliland people are speaking. When the
people believe that their government is part of the problem and not
part of the truth and does not safeguard the people’s right of self
determination, then the people speak for their bottom line.
“Where is the government of Mr. Siilanyo!?” people are wondering.
When the people are answering the above question most people say
that they are in the dark rooms, travelling under the cover of lies,
hiding a lot from the people, selling a contraband!
My son who is approaching his 30th birth day used to ask me when he
first spoke this question, “Why were they doing this to us?” that
was when the ethnic cleanings was happening in Somaliland in the
80s! In respond to my son’s question I used to say to him, “they
were wrong but the end belongs to us, to the righteous.”
When he grew up and saw the difference of Somaliland and Somalia in
many aspects When he saw that Somaliland did all the right things
and Somalia did all the wrong things he asked me this question, “why
their wrongs paid (such that the international community recognized
them) and all the right things we did, did not pay?” my answer was
the same. “They are wrong, those who are supporting their wrongs are
wrong! We are right and the end belongs to the righteous, to us if
we persevere and be patient and if we get an honesty leadership
which feels the pain the people of Somaliland has suffered and
suffering”
The generation who were born after Somaliland withdrew from the
failed union with failed Somalia is now over 21 years old plus 10
more years they were brutalized, marginalized and dehumanized and
slowly killed. They don’t understand and it doesn’t make a sense to
them when Somalia claims that they own Somaliland and the
international community entertains that nonsense! The only thing
that Somaliland young generation knows is their currency, their flag
and their democratic government.
The things they remember of Somalia are:
a) crimes they committed against Somaliland.
b) Crimes, misery and mayhem they inflected to their own people!
d) Religious extremism, terrorism and sea piracy
under that circumstance the so called international community is
denying the peaceful people of Somaliland their fundamental rights
to have their own sovereign state among the nations of the world.
Summary of Somaliland experience:
The triumph, the turbulence and the achievements
1- Somaliland achieved independence from Britain in June, 1960. The
dream of creating a unified greater Somali speaking state in the
horn of Africa which was driven by nationalist emotions led
Somaliland Republic to join ex-Italian Somalia to be the first of
the would be five Somali states. Aside from Somaliland and Somalia
the other three Somali states to join the above two were: ex- French
Somali coast, (Djibouti now) Somali region of Ethiopia, and Northern
region of Kenya. (NFD)
With the exception of Somaliland and Somalia the greater dream of
realizing five Somali states under one flag did not materialize.
The union of the remaining two of the said five Somali states failed
when Somalia executed the ethnic cleansing policy against
Somaliland. Somaliland survived from that horrendous evil
experience. Somaliland withdrew from the union with Somalia and
declared never again. They declared their independence in 1991 after
they defeated Somalia’s regime of Barre.
2-Siyad Barre’s regime of Mogadishu organized a scheme to cleanse
the Somaliland people ethnically under the “Displace and Replace”
program. Somaliland people rejected to be obliterated. They fought
back in a war imposed on them. The paid blood and treasure and tears
for their survival. They defeated Somalia’s army. They not only
survived from the ethnic cleansing but prevailed and triumphed.
3-Victorious Somaliland National Movement did not chase the defeated
Somalia army for revenge. They let them go back to Mogadishu where
they belong which they did
4-SNM invited all the communities in Somaliland, those who were with
the dictator as well as those who were not alike, from Zeila to
Lasanood to Erigavo and in between for reconciliation and
forgiveness. That convention happened in the city of Burao in 1991.
In an absolute consensus all the communities of Somaliland gathered
there declared that they withdrew the ill-fated union with Somalia.
The 2nd Republic of Somaliland was born in Burao in May 1991.
5-The SNM organization which liberated Somaliland from the genocidal
regime of Siyad Barre handed over power to a civilian government.
This voluntary peaceful transfer of power from a fighting front to a
civilian administration was one of the first of its kind if not the
first experience that ever happened any where in the world!
6-A second national convention took place in Borama in 1993. A
charter named after that city was passed there and as a result an
inclusive, broad based government was established there. Disarmament
followed, then peace took root in Somaliland .
7-A popular referendum followed in 2001 which the people affirmed
and sealed their prior desires and agreements. People voted 97% yes
for the withdrawal of the union with Somalia
8-Somaliland established an enduring peace and stability in her
territory with no or less of out side help
9-Somaliland established a democratic system of government where
four presidents followed one after the other in a democratic
peaceful way. It rarely or probably never happened in the continent
of Africa.
10-Somaliland established a neighborly trusted relationship with
Ethiopia, the first in its kind for centuries. That relationship is
not only between two governments but it is also between two peoples
who never trusted each other before! This historic achievement took
root when SNM base was in the“Houd and reserved area” of Ethiopia-
now the Somali state of Ethiopia.
11-Somaliland accepted and absorbed Somalia’s refugees with out
international assistance; with our international recognition of that
experience for purely humanitarian grounds
12-a) Somaliland was alone when she was fighting against the brutal
regime of Siyad Barre. They stood on their ground in that struggle
and they prevailed as a result
b) Somaliland was alone with no international assistance when they
came back to their country which was leveled to the ground. They
buried their dead alone. They built their county alone! They are not
complaining! They stood on their ground in that undertaking.
C) Somaliland will resist both the domestic and the foreign sabotage
and will previl in the end Somaliland has nine lives. She
experienced even embargos from Saudi Arabia She survived in that in
human act. She will survive what ever comes from with in and from
with out enemies
13-I would like to give a free advice to Turkey, the new kid in the
block. I know they have their own strategy in the horn of Africa. I
would however say to them, Sit back and seriously, impartially, read
the history of Somaliland, study the political web of Somalia and
the horn in general before passing judgment. Read both the Resumes
of the two Somali states. Somaliland and Somalia that is, and my God
help you and help all those who take on the side of justice and
impartiality.
The Siilanyo government which made herself like “The fool who far he
went, recognition to attain, lost and returns an idiot as he went
and brings the fool again”, Somaliland was foolish in 1960 in which
to regain her lost Republic cost her blood and treasure.
Be aware, Somaliland is speaking after she saw deceit and deception
in the market of politics, operating by domestic traitors entrusted
by the people!
Somaliland government lost the trust of her people, therefore the
people will not accept nor would they recognize what ever is
considered as treasonous to the CAUASE of Somaliland, from any
entity be it Siilanyo’s administration or foreign entity, therefore
the government of Siilanyo better change both intent and direction
if they want to be trusted and valid.
Treason does never prosper if it does no one would dare call it
treason, so it remains the most accursed as it should be.
A traitor to his country and to his people is the traitor most
detestable and most accursed.
Let us come together and work together. Let us grow up and protect
the peace and stability of Somaliland and the region as a whole by
not betraying the cause of Somaliland which is the hopes and
aspirations and the bottom line of the people of Somaliland who paid
all they had for it.
Peace and Prayers
Ibrahim Mead
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